Defendant wearing a Christmas Jumper in Court is fined £300

A man wearing a Christmas jumper in court has been fined £300 after police were in Kilrea for another matter when they noticed a smell of cannabis and then saw three cannabis plants up to five feet tall growing in plant pots outside the rear of a property.

Sean Michael Donaghy (27), whose address was listed as Stuarts Place in Kilrea, appeared at Coleraine Magistrates Court on December 10 and pleaded guilty to charges of cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis on July 14 this year.

A prosecutor said police saw three cannabis plants ranging in height from 3ft to 5ft.

The defendant admitted to police they were his and said he used cannabis because he suffered from depression.

The defendant told the court said he had been abstaining from alcohol as “that was were the main damage was done”.

He said he understood what he was “up against” and is now taking anti-depressants.

The £300 fine was made up of £100 for possessing cannabis and £200 for cultivating the drug.